Sometimes life presents opportunities that at face value have no rational justification and in fact actually seem to fit far better into the ‘would have been nice but it’s just doesn’t make sense’ category.
I was recently faced with one of those when an event I’d been invited to in LA was rescheduled to the South of France. LA had been easy enough to justify, it’s just a quick overnight flight from Brisbane, I could go for the weekend and no one would really even notice. South of France initially seemed to be impossible, with travel time now out to 24-hours each way and no avoiding my work week being impacted.
But at the same time, it’s the South of France, the top secret venue for the event was billed as once in a lifetime, and when I looked at the flights it actually was only going to see me out of the office for two days, with time zones meaning I would be able to stay on top of anything I needed to deal with.
The only catch was that other commitments meant I could only have 25-hours on the ground in Cannes, almost exactly the same time I would spend in the air getting there and then the same again getting home.
Was it worth it? In the spirit of YOLO (that’s especially for you Sascha, I know you will be mortified) I decided that it was, and as always my amazing husband backed me to the hilt, while being quietly devastated his prior commitments meant there was no way he could join me.
So that’s how I find myself writing this while having lunch in a picture perfect location on the beach front in Cannes, enjoying the view and the ambience as preparations for this weeks’ film festival kick off.
I spent the morning walking, getting serious super-yacht envy, smelling the lavender which is in full bloom and just enjoying the brain space and changed thinking that a complete change of environment brings.
This afternoon brings the event I came for (more on that in another post) and then it’s straight to the airport to head for home.
The 24-hours on planes on the way home will allow for plenty of thinking time (plus it means I can finish watching the box set of Hart of Dixie that I got completely addicted to on the way here) and ideas are already starting to bubble — words that will likely fill the Epic Digital teams’ hearts with terror, but I promise my commitment to scope creep will stand!
And that’s why it’s important to say yes to those crazy opportunities that make no sense on face value, because they’re the ones that allow the changed head space and mindset that empowers inspiration. You don’t necessarily have to fly to the other side of the world to achieve that outcome, but you do need to say yes to the opportunities that turn your everyday environment on its head.
It’s already been worth it and that’s even before the event I came for!